Telling Your Children About Your Pending Divorce

Sitting in my Fishers office just Northeast of Indianapolis, I came across a wonderful divorce article entitled “The Talk”: A Caring and Confidedent Approach to Telling the Kids About Your Plan to Separate or Divorce. Our goal is obviously zealousy advocating for our client’s best interests. This can include seeking the financial security one may be entitled to but it is often a battle over children. At times that focus seems to get lost when the battle becomes contentious in a divorce as client’s are made to feel defensive and under attack. Prior to getting to that point, the “talk” must be done with the kids to let them know what is going on. You will not only be in a “relationship” with your ex until the kids turn 18 but generally the rest of your children’s lives. Your children will have birthdays, graduations, there own children, marriages, and other events. It is so important to develop the mindset now that even though you may not like your ex at the moment, that you will still have this new relationship, more akin to a business partnership, for the rest of your life. Please read the following. I hope it can help guide you to developing a long term plan for peace while we help you plan for a long term plan for financial security.

“The Talk”: A Caring and Confident Approach to Telling the Kids About Your Plan to Separate or Divorce

Lisa Gabardi, Ph.D., LLC

Sharing the news with your children that you and their other parent are divorcing, moving into two homes, and living separately can create great angst and worry. What to say? What not to say? As parents, you want to protect your children from harm, yet you know that giving them this news is going to be painful.

You probably have lots of questions about how to handle this important conversation well and minimize harm to your children. And, there’s no trial runs or practice talks. There’s really only the one opportunity to have this important first talk about the divorce with your children. I know you want to do your best in having this important talk with your children.

The words you choose will set a framework for your children view the divorce, what they remember about it, and will set a tone for them about how you and their other parent intend to conduct yourselves through this process. For these reasons, this is a very important step in the divorce process. You want to be prepared, able to handle your own feelings, and be available to answer your children’s questions and support them.

In order to help you feel confident and prepared, I have identified the key messages you will want to send to your children in this brief, but important talk.

#1 Share the news. “We have something important to discuss. Mom/Dad and Dad/Mom are separating/getting a divorce/moving into two homes.”

#2 Give a brief, age appropriate explanation that avoids blame, is honest, (but doesn’t share too much detail about the intricacies of your marriage) and validates your children’s reality of what they may have witnessed/experienced/felt in the home. “We haven’t been able to get along as married partners and think we can be better parents from two homes than we can be married partners together.” “We haven’t been able to resolve some significant problems/differences in our marriage so we are getting divorced but will continue parenting from two homes.”

#3 This is not the child’s fault. They didn’t cause the divorce and they can’t fix it. “This is an adult problem between Mom/Dad. This is not because of you, is not your fault, and you can’t fix it.” “Love between adults can end, but the love between a parent and a child doesn’t end.”

#4 Ask about and validate feelings. “I’m guessing you might be having all kinds of different feelings about this news.” “I can understand how you could feel that way.”

#5 Identify specific things about their lives that will change. “Dad will be moving into an apartment at the beginning of next month.” “Some days you’ll be at Dad’s and some days you’ll be at Mom’s house.”

#6 Reassure them about the parts of their lives that will stay the same. “You’ll still go to the same school.” “Mom/Dad will still take you to dance/soccer class.” “You’ll still get to play with Pat on the weekends/afterschool.”

#7 Reassure your children that you love them and will be there for them. “We love you very much.” “We’re sorry to have to give you this news.” “We will always be your parents and will always be there for you.” “We will take care of you and help you through this transition.”

#8 Ask them if they have any questions. Answer honestly, but with appropriate boundaries about information they don’t need, and appropriate to each child’s age. It’s okay to say “We don’t know yet, but will let you know once we have that figured out.”

Hopefully, you now have specific ideas and scripts to help guide the talk you have with your children. You have bullet points for things to cover, to make it easier to remember. Of course, every family is different. You will need to adapt these general guidelines to the specifics of your family situation and the particular ages and temperaments of your children.

With these tips, you will be ready to help your children know that your family will ultimately be okay, and that their relationships with each of you as parents will remain secure and protected. With your thoughtful handling of this important conversation, your children can feel reassured that, while their family is reorganizing, their parents remain available to them, will continue to parent them, and they will be alright.

CONTACTS

OUR LOCATION:

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.